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Tuesday, December 31, 2013

100 YEARS AGO Dec. 31, 1913

Tonight the whole of Argenta will hold a watch party. Plans have been made by dozens of households for parties and dances to celebrate the coming of the New Year and to see the Old Year depart. Nearly every one in town will attend the different functions, where they will dance or play games until the New Year comes in. Seldom has Argenta as a whole given over in one night to such revelry, but as the preparations show, tonight will be one to be long remembered. At every corner of the town tonight there will be a watch party.

50 YEARS AGO Dec. 31, 1963 PINE BLUFF - Mayor Offie Lites said Monday that grocers operating on a 24-hour basis in the area recently brought inside the city limits would not be expected immediately to comply with Sunday closing laws at Pine Bluff. Six drive-in groceries around the perimeter of the former city limits have been brought inside the city by the recent annexation of 7.5 square miles. The mayor said that, while the Sunday closing laws would become effective eventually, no actions would be taken immediately unless interested citizens brought charges against the grocers.

25 YEARS AGO Dec. 31, 1988

On what one official called a “historic occasion” two major medical institutions announced Friday they will join forces to curb smoking at the hospitals beginning Jan. 1. Baptist Medical Center and St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center held a joint press conference for the first time in their histories to announce their efforts to team up against cigarette smoking, which causes more than 300,000 deaths annually in the United States. Both hospitals will restrict smoking by patients, staff and visitors. Smoking will be restricted to two areas within St. Vincent and six on hospital grounds outside. Patients can smoke in their rooms only if they have a private room and they have permission from their doctor to do so.

10 YEARS AGO Dec. 31, 2003

In a move aimed at thwarting a possible lawsuit against the state for not fixing a court-condemned school-funding system, the Arkansas Senate approved a measure Tuesday to provide school districts more money during the next six months. The funds would be directed to try to help the youngest students do better in reading, writing and math. The funding would be based on the percentage of the district’s enrollment that comes from the poorest families.

Arkansas, Pages 8 on 12/31/2013